Bad news and good news

The bad news is that while eating lunch on Monday yet another one of my old teeth decided to fall apart leaving a quite sizable piece in my mouth. Of course it's the time of year when self-respecting dentists (including mine) are on holidays - luckily he's back next week (global downturn and all that) so I'm hoping to see him early next week. The last time this happened was during the first week of my last overseas trip - I seem cursed with bad timing.

The good news is that Mum is doing very well; she's still in St George's and is quite chirpy. We're looking for residential care for her and there is a chance of a place. I should know more soon.

Work is very quiet at the moment which is why I don't take leave at this time of year.

Gloriana concert

Don't forget to tune in to ABC-FM on Sunday at 3pm to hear us singing seasonal music.

Photograph of Jesus

We haven't had queries quite as silly as these, but close.

Orchestra Project

On Tuesday night B&P (freshly returned and relaxed after their Blue Mountains holiday) and I went to the South Melbourne Town Hall to attend a concert for ANAM. As it turned out we were there to celebrate the news that the academy will continue to operate as it is, at least for another year.

The Orchestra Project, a huge orchestra made up of ANAM alumni and members from many other Australian orchestras, played an all-Strauss program. The first half was the Four Last Songs, very nicely sung by Joanna Cole - such a treat to hear such gorgeous music so well performed. After interval the orchestra leapt into Ein Heldenleben, the massive ego-centric tone poem Strauss wrote about himself. It was terrific - Fabian Russell, the conductor, handled the huge work sensitively, allowing the music to breathe when necessary but allowing the players full-rein at the climaxes.

While the hall may have been a bit small for such large forces, I think I prefer it to Hamer Hall - the bass sound was fabulous, something I would never say about the concert hall, and I could hear most of the inner lines quite clearly as well. All in all, it was a wonderful night of music.

Peg report

Mum is still in St George's, Kew and it looks as if she'll be moving to residential care when she is discharged. Unfortunately she can't go home as not only is she still prone to falls, her memory problems mean she probably won't look after herself properly. We're hoping we may be able to get her somewhere near my sister in the country.